By Mary Taruvinga

MEDICINES Control Authority of Zimbabwe senior regulatory officer Farai Masekela has been slapped with a $1, 5 million lawsuit after his herd of cattle helped themselves to a neighbour’s thriving maize crop.

Masekela is being sued by Gamanya David Tapera who owns two farms next to Masekela’s in Chikomba district, Chivhu.

Tapera wants $985 600 being damages for the destruction of his crops at Shayamano Farm Fields.

He also wants US$3 952 being compensation for replanting crops to the damaged area at Shayamano Farm Fields and another $464 000 being damages for the destruction of his crops at Muhle Farm Fields also caused by Masekela’s cattle.

According to court papers, “sometime between December 2020 and May 2021, Masekela intentionally, with malice, unlawfully grazed his huge herd of cattle in Plaintiff’s maize fields.”

After the crop damages, Tapera called in Agritex Hampshire officers to conduct Crop Damage Assessments to ascertain the degree of damage to the crops at the fields.

The crop damage assessment reports showed that the total loss was $985 600 and $464 000 at Shayamano Farm Fields and Muhle Fields respectively.

“Further, the plaintiff had to incur more expenses in December 2020 as he embarked on a mitigation exercise by replanting crops on the area that had been damaged. The total sum for the expenses incurred in the crop replanting exercise was US$ 3 952,” read Tapera’s summons.

The matter is yet to be heard.